15 DAY 304

Dinner, Yung Sun's Chinese Noodle in Duck Soup with Egg, Sunny Side Up

★ 1 / 9 / 12 / 57.44 / 66. happy halloween!

I distinctly remember Halloween from a year ago, a pivotal night of my young adulthood. I remember the Halloween parade, the walk to some German bar in Midtown, the unease that bothered me all night, the rain, the first time I opened up, poured my heart out, to someone about my situation, and the tears, lots of tears.

To send myself back in time mentally, then to bring myself back to the present; to put myself in a similar environment, and to observe all the differences between now and then, only then do I see my growth. Man, I had came a long way.

That being said, I met up with my new friends in Union Square. Subsequently, we made our way to Hell's Kitchen, where we decided to check out a new bar that we had never visited before. At the door, I embarrassingly remembered that I had left my ID at home. I left, headed for the nearest subway station, making my way back to Chinatown. I told my friends that if it does not take me too long to return home, I would come back out. It took me a hour to return to Chinatown. It was already 1:00 a.m. by then. I decided to stay in.

18 / 46. I do not remember if i exercised this day

I checked my gym check in history. I did not go to the gym that day. I checked my Nike+ run history. No run was recorded for that day neither. My old phone was broken at the time. I might had went on a run without Nike+. I had no reason not to exercise. I think I exercised that day.

15 DAY 303

One of my co-workers had an extra ticket to an dance performance and had invited me to join.

First, we stopped at a Whole Foods Market at Columbus Circle for dinner. That was my first time eating at a Whole Foods store. The food was delicious. On top of that, I had long brainwashed myself into believing that everything Whole Foods serves is healthy. With that in mind, I was a lot less guilty overindulging on five servings of the fish fillet.

Following our dinner, we made our way to the dance performance, detouring at a ice cream truck to pick up two ice cream cones.

The dance performance was okay.

After the dance performance, we made our way back to Columbus Circle. We walked through a mall, looking for a dessert shop. Eventually, we ended up at a Paris Baguette nearby to Columbus Circle. That was my second time ever at a Paris Baguette.

15 DAY 299

★ Started my new job at vanasse Hangen Brustlin (VHB) in Chelsea, Manhattan

18 / 46. Went on another run without niKe+

Dear Mom, send me my new phone already.

My mom's phone died again tonight midway through the run. I was annoyed and upset. I know, I know, some people have real problems.

The run was nothing out of the ordinary. I ran to the Strand Bookstore in Union Square and tagged one of the outdoor bookshelves, before making my return. I was not sure how fast I was running or I far I had ran without Nike+ there to track my run.

15 DAY 298

15 DAY 297

15 DAY 296

15 DAY 295

15 DAY 294

A DAY WITHOUT PHONE

★ A Day without phone

A day without my phone is a day without time and a day without pictures.

My internal body clock woke me at 6:55 a.m., twenty minutes later than usual. Accept the "isness" of everything. I calmly grabbed my towel and toothbrush and headed for the bathroom. Our new tenant's nephew had sneaked into the restroom one step before me. I closed the bedroom door and sat on a chair that was butted up against the bedroom door, which was adjacent to the bathroom, ready to charge at the first sound of the nephew exiting. In the meantime, I stared into space. Three more days, I told myself.

When the new tenant's nephew exited the bathroom, our landlord's son entered before I could get up from the chair. I waited a little longer. Three more days, I thought in relief.

Coincidentally, the three of us were ready at the same time and left the apartment together. Then, I asked my landlord's son what time it was. 7:26, he said.

I was not sure what time it was when I arrived at Grand Central Station. The train information board told me that the 7:53 a.m. train to White Plains had yet departed. I sprinted to Gate 26.

I rested on the train, but I was afraid to fall asleep without my phone's alarm to wake me. I hoped that the train would make it to White Plains before 8:38 a.m.

And the trooper train arrived at the White Plains Station just in time for me to catch the 8:38 a.m. shuttle to One North Broadway.

I left work at around 4:30 p.m. to meet up with my Grandma back in the city. I caught all of the trains that I was supposed to catch. Assuming the trains were traveling at their regular speed, it was probably around 6:00 p.m. when I returned to Chinatown. I walked from the East Broadway Station to my Grandma's dentist's office, where we had planned to meet.

She was not there. The check-in lady told me that she had just left.

"She said that she was going to the bus station. She said that she is going to Philadelphia to see her daughter." One of the patients sitting in the waiting area informed me.

I walked to the bus station. She was not there. I walked back to my apartment, thinking that maybe she had gone looking after me. She was not there neither. I walked back to the bus station, and back to the apartment again.

There was no way for me to call my Grandma without my phone.

I was not sure how much time had passed from all of the walking back and forth. I was getting anxious. I was hoping to attend a meeting in Midtown later that night. However, at the look of the circumstance, it was unlikely that I was going to make it.

Eventually, I remembered that all of my contacts were backed up on my computer. I located my Grandma's phone number once I had made it home for the second time, and borrowed our new tenant's cellphone to make the phone call.

I asked my Grandma what time it was when I had finally met up with her. 6:45, she said. I was not going to make it to the meeting.

1 / 9 / 12. Long Time No see

Per usual, I did a walkthrough before I started my session. There it was, unexpectedly, the same, familiar figure.

I was already irritated by the earlier event of the night. In addition to this, my mind and heart were over capacity. The uneasiness that I was feeling propelled me to leave. At the same time, I felt silly at the thought of leaving. I stayed at the corner of the room the entire time I was there. The hour reached 9:40 p.m. quickly when I made my leave.

18 / 46. Since I am not going to the meeting, I am going to the gym instead

If I am not going to the meeting, then I am going to the gym. I was not going to the meeting, so I went to the gym.

My phone was completely broken. I was running with my Mom's old phone that my Grandma had brought for me to use temporarily. My mom's phone was broken too. It shut down half way through the run. I did not spend too much time at the gym. I did some dumbbell press and shoulder press. From the gym, I jogged home without Nike+.

15 DAY 293

Lunch #1, Panera Bread

Lunch #2, Panera Bread's Chicken Cobb with Avocado Salad

★ 57.44 / 66. TRIED OUT A NEW RESTAURANT INLOWER EAST SIDE, MANHATTAN

The restaurant is located on Essex Street. I ran by the above sign last night. I wanted to take a picture of the sign more than I wanted to eat at the restaurant. However, I felt a need to purchase a food item from the restaurant in exchange for an unspoken permission to take a picture of their sign, and so I did. I ordered ten steamed dumplings. In short, the handmade shell of the dumplings were noteworthy, though the pork filling was less remarkable.

15 DAY 292

★ 9 / 12. MADE PLAN FOR THE WEEKEND ON A MONDAY

My phone battery was low at mere 33%. I was listening to Spotify when the text, out of the blue, sent my phone on vibration. I was not surprised when I saw the name of the sender on the phone screen, though the name did put a smile on my face. I do not want to put too much hope on it. At the same time, I am looking forward to what the message entails.

18 / 46. WENT ON A RUN TO UNION SQUARE, MANHATTAN AND BACK

My phone is broken. It would not charge. This is my third time even running without Nike+. I had originally planned to run to the gym, work out, and run back home after the lifting session, my regular workout routine. However, due to three prolonged phone calls with my parents and my grandmother, I left the apartment later than usual. I ended up only going on a run. I ran to Strand Bookstore in Union Square, took a stroll inside the store, and subsequently made my return trip.

15 DAY 291

Sunday night, I attended my grandma's old co-worker's son's wedding at J & B Seafood Restaurant in Chinatown, Manhattan. I had been looking forward to the wedding since a week prior, when my grandma told me that she wanted me to attend a wedding in her place the coming Sunday, for every Chinese wedding is a grand photography opportunity for the style of photography I was pursuing anyway. Sadly, however, I did not capture any useful photographs. Nevertheless, the food was delicious, though similar to the dishes from every other Chinese wedding I had been to.

18 / 46. RAN A MILE ON THE EAST RIVER PARK TRACK

Physically, I feel more fit than ever. There is a lot more room for improvement. However, comparatively to my old self, there is no question that I am in better shaper. My high school mile record was 6' 14". It is hard for me to believe that I was more fit then than I am now. In other words, it is hard for me to believe that in my current physical state, I cannot run an under 6' 14" mile.

Maybe I was running too fast on my way to the track that burned too much energy. In short, I did not accomplish my goal of an under 6' 14" mile today. Nevertheless, Nike+ congratulated me on achieving my fastest 5K and 1K. Insert fine print here that the above numbers are less than accurate; I took a break to stretch before running the mile and a second break to cool down after the mile.

Man, I was really hoping to check another item off of the bucket list today. Back to work.

15 DAY 290

15 DAY 289

A DAY WITHOUT PICTURES

1 / 9 / 12. MISSED THE 7:44 TRAIN THIS MORNING

I missed the 7:06 F train leaving East Broadway this morning. Then, there was a delay with the uptown 6 train. I arrived at Grand Central Station roughly twenty minutes later than usual. I ended up taking the 7:53 train to work. This was my second consecutive Friday missing the fourth cart of the 7:44 train.

18 / 46. WENT ON A RUN ON THE EAST RIVER PROMENADE

My phone is broken. It only charges when it wants to. I went on a run along the East River Promenade tonight without Nike+. I ran pass the East River Baseball Field, and the East River Park Track. I ran all the way to the end of the promenade, stopped just before where the river side park transitions into the Captain Patrick J. Black Walk. I touched the light pole situated at the end of the esplanade, and subsequently made my return trip.

15 DAY 288

I was getting upset, but I was swift to notice my mood change. I took a deep breath to appease myself. I looked out the window, trying to get my mind off of the situation. How stupid was I to leave the seat in front of me open. That was my usual seat. I had done it again.

No. My heart is finally at peace. I cannot do this to myself again.

18 / 46. RAN TO THE GYM + WORKED OUT + RAN BACK HOME

It felt good to return to my old training routine, running to and from the gym in addition to a short lifting session. My knee was feeling a lot better. I was jogging most of the way, easing the newly recovered knee back in action. I ran a total of 4.08 miles with a time of 34:28. Weight training felt inefficient as always. I wish I had a training parter who knew what he was doing to give me some pointers.

15 DAY 287

1 / 9 / 12. BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS

I had my book open on my lap, but my rays were directed toward the platform outside of the cart window. I restlessly watched each passing by figure.

Since yesterday, everything was back to the way it was before.

★9 / 12 / 57.44 / 66. STEPPED DOWN FROM MY HIGH HORSE

I missed the first opportunity to pop the question. The words were right there, at the tip of my tongue, but my tightly closed lips, once again manipulated by my ego, debarred them from setting loose. I remained alert, watchful for the next appropriate moment. At the second chance I was given, the words awkwardly rolled off of my tongue, squeezed pass my lips, and projected out in the open. There I was, climbing down from my high horse, and chucking my pride out of the window.

The response was positive. It was not overwhelmingly positive, for my delivery was sloppy, but positive nevertheless. I am looking forward to what follows, hopefully something great.

15 DAY 286

1 / 9 / 12. RESET

Returning from Columbus Day Weekend, the passengers on the train reset to their default seating.

18 / 46. RAN TO THE GYM + WORKED OUT + RAN BACK HOME

I made sure that I was not running too fast. I did not want to put too much pressure on my right knee. It still hurt a little when I run, but not to the extreme where I had to stop and walk. Nothing out of the ordinary happened otherwise.

★ COMPLETED AN EXIT INTERVIEW WITH MY BOSS

My boss called me into his office to complete an exit interview. I was terrified at first that he would give me a hard about leaving. However, the interview turned out to be nothing like how I had expected. It was brief, lasted for mere fifteen minutes. My boss spent most of the time speaking to me about future advancement.

15 DAY 285

18 / 46. WENT ON A RUN ON THE EAST RIVER PROMENADE

I went on a run on the East River Promenade this evening. The weather was perfect. My knee started to hurt again midway through the run. It has been hurting for a while now, though only when I run. My brother suggested that the pain is due to over-training, and that I should get the knee checked out by a physician.

80. LET TWO PEOPLE GO IN FRONT ME WHILE WAITING IN LINE FOR A DRIER AT THE LAUNDROMAT

All driers were in use when I timely arrived at the laundromat at the completion of the washing cycle. I sat down on a lone chair situated at the corner of the room, reading Earnest Hemingway's timeless classic, The Old Man and the Sea, while waited for an available machine. Two men walked into the laundromat shorty after I had sat down. The owner, without my permission, gave the first two vacant driers to the two late customers. I stayed quiet, and felt uneasy that my lack of response to the situation was taken advantage of. However, I quickly calmed my rising anger. Think as you are doing a good deed, I appeased myself.

15 DAY 284

★ 90. COMPLETED MY FIRST "SUCCESSFUL" PHOTOSHOOT FOR THE BLOG

In May, approximately five months ago, I drove to Tufts University with my brother, where we shot our first photo session. It was unsuccessful. I was dissatisfied with myself physically. The five hundred or so pictures that we captured that day became one of my biggest motivations to get fit. Over the last five months, I had shed roughly twenty pounds.

I was nervous the day before the shoot. I was concerned that I was not going to look up to par on camera. My anxiety was eased later that night when I asked my brother to take a few test shots of me at home.

The next morning, I was reluctant to travel far for the photo session. I did not like the thought of wasting time on traversing in case I was going to be once again discontent with the result of the shoot.

Ultimately, I decided on the football practice field down at the high school as the "editorial"'s backdrop.

All in all, I was pleased with today's photos. I am currently int the process of selecting and editing the pictures. I am looking forward to post a style blog very soon.

★ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY GRANDMA!

We celebrated my grandmother's birthday Sunday night, except it was not my grandmother's birthday. There was a lot of food, ten to twelve dishes. Everyone exclaimed at how much weight I had lost since the last time they saw me. I caught up with my cousins. It was an overall relaxing night.